From High School to the Future

For Chicago Public School (CPS) graduates, grades are a more important predictor of college enrollment and graduation than college entrance test scores, according to a study from the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. This study also found substantial differences across colleges in graduation rates among highly qualified CPS graduates, suggesting that the colleges students attend matters a great deal. The study paints a discouraging picture of college success for CPS graduates. Despite the fact that nearly 80% of seniors state they expect to graduate from a four-year college, only about one-third enroll in a 4-year college within a year of high school graduation, and only 35% of those who enroll received a bachelor's degree within 6 years. The study found that boys are less likely to enter and graduate from college than girls with similar abilities. Also, CPS Latino graduates attend college below both national and Illinois averages for Latino high school graduates.